Learning has accelerated Wagner’s presence in the cage
Accomplishments: Jill Wagner pays attention to the smallest details, and that paid off for her and the Tokay High girls water polo team last week.
The senior goalie had three critical saves in the final minutes of an important Tri-City Athletic League and cross-town game against Lodi at the Tigers’ swimming pool on Oct. 5. That led to Tokay cooling off the Flames 7-6, which is the first time in recent years that Tokay has beaten Lodi in a varsity girls water polo. The victory also keeps Tokay alone in third place in the league at 3-3 and 7-5 overall. The league’s top three schools advance into the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs starting later this month.
After teammates Katie McLain tied the game at 5-5 in the fourth period, Tiger teammate Lizzy Macfarlane scored the go-ahead goal that sailed into the corner of the Flames’ net for a 65 lead. Then Tiger captain Nicole Iturraran added another goal for a 7-5 advantage.
Lodi had four shots on goal halfway through the final period. But Wagner hovered around the front of the cage awaiting for the driver or wing players to fire the ball, catching three for saves that proved to be the difference in the contest.
“I knew I had to start running the pool a little bit more better, and being more confident and aware of how (Lodi) was playing, and how their offense was being run,” Wagner said. “I definitely had to get my head straight.”
Wagner felt more aware of the Flames’ offensive presence in the second half. Lodi had been shooting the
ball near the perimeter of the pool.
“They started shooting to the one and five spots,” Wagner said. “That’s when I knew I had to position myself more toward that area. We had to match up our players (with Lodi),” Wagner said. “We figured what girls would be where.”
Playing well in the second half lifted the Tigers’ spirits after the game.
“We’ve figured out how to work well together in that game,” Wagner said. “We did have a few problems; we’d pass the ball to the wrong person. We came back well defensively.”
Wagner and the squad are playing under new coach Courtney Porter, who led the 2015 Lodi High boys water polo squad to the section’s Division I title. A social studies teacher at Tokay, Porter took last season before returning to coach over the summer.
Porter took over for Haley Ring, who coached last year’s squad and the Tokay frosh/soph girls team in recent years. Ring, whose Tigers missed a section playoff berth last fall, had been Wagner’s coach the last three years. Wagner has learned to accelerate and hover around the front of the cage.
“Getting a new coach was a transition in terms of style and how he (Porter) handles the pool,” Wagner said. “I’ve gained a lot of knowledge from him. Haley was a wonderful coach, I loved working with her. Courtney has helped me pay attention to being able to do better as a goalie, where Haley always wanted the field cleared ... we’re going to continue to learn until the very end (of the season). Everyday we are learning something new.”
Missing the playoffs last year — Lodi beat Tokay in the TCAL finale to earn the league’s third playoff spot — has served as a motivation for Wagner and the Tigers this season.
“That is definitely a goal of ours this year,” Wagner said. “Something we’re hoping to achieve.”
Achievements for Wagner begins with being in peak physical shape. That is needed for the twosport student-athlete; Wagner was also part of the Tokay High girls wrestling team that captured the TCAL and the section’s D-I titles last winter. She competed in the 131-pound class. She admits to almost living in the weight room and working out.
“I have been swimming since the second grade,” said Wagner, who has been playing water polo since seventh grade. “I just wanted to try another aquatic sport.”